His Little Girl
by SarahAlicia
Summary: "Are you Hank Lawson?" He narrowed his eyes again."Yeah..." "My name is Emmalee Rose Lawson, sir. You're my pa," she said. What is our favorite saloon owner to do when he discovers he is the father of a seven year old girl with a dark past? Warning: Spanking, foul language
1. Chapter 1

It was a normal evening in Colorado Springs, like many others they have had before until a girl rode in on a horse in the dead of night. She dismounted with a little difficulty and tied the reins to a post. No one knew this would be one of the most interesting nights of their lives.

Hank Lawson was sitting in his empty saloon drinking a few shots of whiskey by candle light when a young blonde walked in. She looked about seven and her eyes kept searching for something. Hank downed the shot he had in his hand and got up from his seat as his chair scrapped the wooden floor. He slammed the glass on the hard table top. The girl shot her light grey eyes up to meet Hank's.

"Children shouldn't be in here," he stated. She nodded her head nervously. He narrowed his eyes in confusion. "Why are you here little girl? Where's your ma and pa?" he asked. She looked up at him and bit her bottom lip. Hank was getting frustrated.

"Well?" he said with impatience, expectantly. He was frustrated for two reasons. One, he had been drinking all day and had one hell of a head ache. Two, he hated being ignored especially by a woman. He slammed his fisted on the table in frustration. The girl whimpered and backed up until she back up into a chair and it also scooted across the floor. Hank sighed. He didn't mean to scare the kid. He decided to start over.

"Ok," he said to the ground and began to make his way over to the girl. Her bottom lip quivered so she bit down on it again and braced herself against the chair, griping it firmly with her eyes wide. He finally came to her and knelt down to her size to look straight at her face.

"Stop looking at me like that," he ordered gently in his country accent. She did as she was told but still had a firm grip on her bottom lip. "Get that lip out of your mouth and tell me your name."

"Emma," she said in a small voice. Ok, now we were finally getting somewhere.

"Where's your ma?" he asked next. Emma bit her lip again but quickly released it when she noticed the look from Hank.

"My ma is gone," she answered. Oh.

"Well who do you live with?"

"I lived with my grandma but she went to live in heaven so I'm coming to live with my pa." He didn't mean to get her whole life story. The alcohol was giving him a buzz again.

"Oh hey," he said with his usual smile. "Well do you see anyone in here?" he asked sarcastically.

"Yes," she answered innocently, "you." 'Smart aleck,' he laughed.

"Yeah, I guess so. Go run along and find ya pa now, little girl," he said with a gesture with his head. He got up and reclaimed his seat and poured himself another drink. She didn't move.

"Well, go on now. Get," he dismissed with a wave of his hand. She still didn't leave.

"I thought I already had," Emma said.

"What?"

"I thought I had already found my pa," she clarified.

"Little girl, it's late so what the hell are ya talking about?"

"Are you Hank Lawson?" He narrowed his eyes again.

"Yeah..."

"My name is Emmalee Rose Lawson, sir. You're my pa," she said. "Grandma said my pa's name was Hank Lawson because I asked why my last name was Lawson and not west like mas."

"West like Kara West?" he asked finally remembering a whore he had slept with almost eight years ago.

"That's my ma," Emma confirmed. Hank rubbed his head. His head ache was back. How could that happen? It was like he fell into a woman's sappy novel.

"How do I know you're not lie'n?"

"I wouldn't lie to you, sir. Not about something this important," she swore, offended her father would accuse her of such things.

"Gahd," Hank exclaimed rubbing his face with his hands. He knew that it was a very real possibility. She looked just like her mother except her hair and eyes. That was Hank made over. He didn't know what to do with her now and it was late. He studied her for a quick moment and got up from his seat again.

"You," he said pointing a finger at her, "come with me." She hurried to follow him up the stairs. She followed him into a room. It wasn't large or very small but it was huge in the eyes of a little girl who grew up with nothing.

"This is my room but you can sleep somewhere in here," he said awkwardly. She nodded and opened the bag he never noticed was on her arm and pulled out a quilt and spread it out in the corner and rested her head on her bag. Hank nodded.

"Go to sleep," he ordered. "We'll figure something out in the morning." She nodded and closed her eyes as she turned toward the wall. Hank stripped off his shirt and took off his boots and continued until he was just in his long-johns. He got in his bed and fell asleep.

**I hope you liked my story. Please Review.**


	2. Chapter 2

The next morning Emma woke with the sun like she always had. She grabbed the only change of clothes she had and looked over to her father to make sure he was still asleep. She got dressed quickly. She sat on the floor after she folded her quilt and put it back in her bag. She grabbed her hairbrush and ran it through her hair as she continued to sit on the floor.

Her bottom became numb after a while so she got up and stretched. She slipped out of the room, leaving her bag in the corner even though both her mother and grandmother taught her always to stay in the room. She walked down the stairs and into the empty room. Her stomach growled. She ignored it like she always had and continued out the swinging doors.

Hank woke up hoping last night had just been a dream. He looked around the room and laughed. He didn't see a little girl. He got up and laughed as he got dressed. He continued to laugh at his stupidity until he noticed the bag in the corner.

Emma walked the dirt road, having no idea where she was going. She was never allowed outside before. She loved the smell, the sun on her skin and even the goose bumps that rose on her arm due to the chilly breeze. The sun was higher in the sky now. More people where on the road, riding in their wagons.

"Hello there," a man with a sheriff's badge said as he stopped his horse. Two kids rode in the back.

"I haven't seen you around here before. Did you just arrive?" the girl asked. Emma shook her head.

"I'm the sheriff, Matthew Cooper," the man said. "This is my sister Colleen and my lil' brother Brian." They both waved.

"What's your name?" Colleen asked.

"Emma," she answered with a smile.

"Well, it's nice to meet ya, Emma," Matthew said with a nod and smile. Emma looked around, up and down the road.

"We're headin' to school," Brian said," but I'm sure we can give you a ride somewhere if you need one." Emma thought that was very kind.

"Yeah," Matthew agreed. She bit her lip. Her father would be getting up soon. He'll probably be mad if she wasn't back in time. She definitely wouldn't if she walked. She released her lip and climbed up. Matthew snapped the reins to get them moving again.

Hank ran down the stairs, passed all the ladies and out the front door. A horse, that he never seen before was tied to a post. What could have happened to Emma? Hank didn't understand this fear he was having. She was just a girl he met last night. What is she to him?

"Your daughter," Dr. Mike said, "should be fine now. Just keep her on the vapor treatment for a few more days and then come back so I can check her." Dr. Quinn waved goodbye to her patient and her mother as they rode off. The town was bustling with activity in the early morning. Hank Lawson came running out of his saloon and looked around as if searching for someone.

"Something wrong, Hank?" she asked from across the road. He looked over at her and made his way across the street.

"Uh, I know this will sound strange but have you seen a little girl with blonde hair out here by any chance?" Dr. Quinn looked at him skeptically. She hadn't seen much of anyone this morning. She stayed at the clinic last night to be with a couple of her patients. The children, of course, were at Matthew's while Sully was hunting with the Cheyenne.

"No. Why? What's going on?" Dr. Mike asked concerned.

"Look this little girl came into the saloon last night and said her grandmother just died and her ma was Kara West," he explained in a hushed tone.

"Who's Kara West?"

"One of my... lady friends. The little girl's name is Emma and she said I was her pa," he said even softer.

"Oh my... she's missing?"

"I woke up and she wasn't in her bed. I looked everywhere in the saloon," he said gesturing toward the saloon.

"I'll help you, Hank. I would ask Sully to help but he's away."

"Well, I gotta find her," Hank said even to his own surprise. Dr. Quinn smiled at that. She knew behind his macho exterior he could love something.

"I'll help you look, Hank," she promised. He nodded his head and started back toward the saloon to get his horse and walked through the front door to get something. Dr. Quinn looked down the road but instead of a little girl she saw Matthew and the children.

"Hey, ma!" Brain yelled excitedly waving his arm. She waved back with a smile. The wagon pulled up and the children climbed down. Now that they weren't in the wagon Michaela noticed a blonde girl in the back.

"Hey this is our ma," Brian said to the girl.

"I'm Michaela Quinn," Michaela introduced with a kind smile. "What's your name?"

"I'm..." she began but was cut off.

**What do you think will happen? Let me know with a comment in the reviews!**


	3. Chapter 3

"Emma!" Hank yelled as he came out of his saloon again. So this was Emma.

Hank went into the saloon to grab his gun, who knows what could be out there or what trouble the little girl has gotten herself into. Why would she go off like that? She must know better. He didn't want to admit it but he was worried. Damn it. He crossed the bar and out the front and like it was a sign from God, Emma was talkin' to the Doc.

"Emma!" he yelled. He holstered his gun and strided over to her. He grabbed her out of the wagon and put her down on her feet, crouching to her level.

"Where have you been?" he asked sternly. She bit her lip and looked like she would burst into tears any moment. He rolled his eyes. He wasn't good with kids.

"Thanks Doc," he said as he got up and picked Emma up. "We'll see you later," he said and walked into the saloon.

She knew he would be angry. She didn't know what to expect now. Would he lock her in the closet like grandma did to her? Ignore her like ma? She dreaded both options. Before she knew it they were back in the room and he set her down, he was kneeling again.

"What were you thinking Emmalee?" he asked sternly. "Ya coulda got hurt or somethin'," he continued. She sniffled.

"I just wanted to take a walk, sir," she almost pouted. He still had a firm grip on her arm as he turned her around and delivered two sharp swats to the seat of her dress.

"Oww," Emma moaned.

"Don't ya ever go off like that again. Understand?" Hank said adding a swat for emphasis, as he turned her around to face him again. A tear streamed down her cheek.

"Yes, sir," she promised. "I won't ever do it again!" she cried as she clung to him in a hug. Hank felt embarrassed by the show of affection but hugged her back for a moment. He cleared his throat after a second.

"Alright enough of this," he proclaimed and stood up. Her face was still wet with tears. "Get in bed and go back to sleep. I have to go to work so don't come out of here unless I tell ya too. You leave this room without me knowin' and I'll give you the whoopin' of your life. Got it?" She nodded her head and reached for her blanket in the bag. She almost touched it when Hank picked her up and put to in his bed, covering her with his blanket.

"Go to sleep, Emma," he said as he left the room.

"So Hank has a daughter?" Colleen asked Michaela.

"It appears so," she answered and smiled. "You best be off to school now children; you don't want to be late." They nodded and parted ways. Unexpectedly, Dorothy came up to the doctor before she made it back into the clinic.

"I didn't mean to over-hear but did you just say Hank had a daughter?" she questioned bewildered.

"It seems so."

"Oh, my," she explained looking toward the saloon. "That's no place to raise a child."

"I agree but it is his daughter," Dr. Mike said and went back inside the clinic as Dorothy rushed off to tell her husband-to-be, Loren Brey.

Emma couldn't go to sleep but she didn't know if she was allowed up. She didn't want her pa to be angry at her again. Those swats had really hurt and she wasn't looking to get another or even worse a full whoopin'. She turned and tossed in his bed and decided as long as she stayed in the room, Hank wouldn't get mad. She sat up and slid off the bed. From this vantage point, she noticed how dirty everything was and began to clean. An hour later, the room was in a good shape. She sat and did nothing for a while but got bored quickly. She could hear men talking, laughing and women giggling to themselves.

She didn't like it in this bedroom. It began to get hot as the day went on. She fanned herself with her dress and opened the window. It got stuck a couple times but she finally got it open. The slight breeze felt amazing against her hot skin. She got out on the ledge of the window and secured her hands so she wouldn't fall. Emma grabbed the nearest place and began to climb up. She was finally near the top and grabbed the roof, hoisting herself up and sat down. Emma loved the view from there. She could see the entire town or at least a very large part of it from her vantage point. She climbed further up the roof. Emma laid against the roofing and fell asleep.

By the end of the day everyone in Colorado Springs knew about Emma Lawson. She was the latest gossip and everyone was anxious to meet Hank's love child. Hank was so frustrated by the constant questioning and teasing from everyone who walked in the saloon. Everyone who asked where she was got the same answer, "Sleeping". He closed up early that night so he could get some peace and quiet. He walked into his room and shut the door expecting to see Emma in his bed or in her little corner. She was in neither place.

"Damn it," Hank cursed to himself. He had warned her to stay in the room but where could she have gone? There was no way she could have left without him knowing. He banged his hand against the bed post and heard a small whimper. He looked around confused and then peered under his bed. There was the blonde seven year old curled up in the fettle position under his bed.

"Come out of there, Emma," Hank demanded. Emma sucked on her lip but didn't move. "Emma, now," he demanded again. She shook her head and covered her eyes with her arms. Hank huffed angrily.

"Emmalee Rose do as I say right now before I drag you out and bend you over my knee, young lady," Hank threatened. He shocked himself at how… parental he sounded.

She burst into tears and cried as she tried to get up. Her arms were shaking so bad they couldn't support her weight and she fell back to the floor. Now Hank was concerned. She tried crawling to him but failed miserably. He grabbed her arm and dragged her out.

"No, sir, please! Don't give me a whoopin'. Please..." He shook his head and hugged her to his body as she cried.

"Hush, now," he said calmly. "What's all this about?"

"I-I didn't mean to have an accident sir. I just had to go so b-bad...I'm so hungry," she cried. "I won't run off anymore sir. I swear. Just please..." she continued.

Hank thought back and could kick himself. He hadn't come back to the room all day and hadn't brought her anything to eat or told her it was ok to leave to use the out-house.

"Don't be sorry, Emma. I forgot. It's not your fault," he said soothingly. He dried her tears with his thumb. "Stop crying now." She nodded and wiped the remainder of her tears on her dress she had arrived in. He made a mental note to get her more clothes. Her looked at her dry dress and wondered where her soiled dress was. He set Emma down and looked around; he found the dress over in her corner as well as a wet blanket. He would worry about that later, at the moment he needed to get her fed.

"Come on Emma," he said and opened the door, walking out. She followed.

"Where are we going?" she asked nervously. She was still fearful of that whoopin' she had been promised. He didn't answer her but instead picked her up and carried her out of the saloon and over to Grace's Cafe. Grace looked up from her cleaning and spotted Hank with little Emma. 'Aww...' she thought to herself.

"What can I do for ya, Hank?" She asked when they arrived.

"I'm just getting her something to eat," he answered.

"Oh, well go ahead and have a seat," she said gesturing to an open table. They sat and Grace pulled out a notepad.

"Well, hello there. I'm Grace. What can I get for you, sweetie?" she questioned kindly to Emma. Emma was speechless. She had always just eaten what was given to her; she never really had a choice. She bit her lip.

"Uh, whatever you're best at," she decided cleverly. This way she didn't have to choose. Grace smiled.

"Fried chicken it is," Grace said as she put away the notepad and went back to the kitchen. Emma released her lip and kept her eyes down to look at the table.

"Thank you," she mumbled to Hank. Men at another table mumbled to themselves and stole glances at Hank and Emma. This irritated Hank.

"What are ya'll looking at?" he asked angrily. They all shook their heads and went back to their meals.

Soon Grace arrived with Emma's plate of fried chicken and mashed potatoes. Emma ate hungrily but not enough to draw attention to herself or Hank. As soon as she was finished, Grace had come back to gather her plate.

"Hungry weren't ya?" she said with a smile. Emma just smiled shyly. Hank got up and picked Emma up as well.

"So how much do I owe ya?"

"Nothin'. It's on the house. It was very nice to meet you Emma," Grace said with a smile.

"It was a pleasure to meet you too Miss Grace," she said respectfully and with a small smile. That was when Hank decided to leave, already bored with sitting in the cafe. He nodded as well and walked to the saloon with his daughter. He set her down when they entered the saloon.

"Go on up to bed, Emma," Hank ordered as he poured him a shot of alcohol. Emma looked at the glass and then at her father.

"Yes, sir," she said, walking away. Hank downed the shot as he watched her leave. He thought over all his mistakes with Emma while pouring shot after shot. You had to feed a kid. You didn't scare them into wetting themselves. He shook his head. He wasn't cut out to be a father.

**Hank can't start off as the perfect father and I think this chapter shows that. I hope you enjoyed it and thank you to the reviewers of the last chapter!**


	4. Chapter 4

Emma Lawson fixed her freshly cleaned quilt on the floor although it was not as comfortable as her pa's mattress. She pretended to sleep when she heard heavy footsteps approach. Her father opened the door, undressed and climbed into ed. He was snoring in no time. However, as hard as little Emma tried, she could not fall asleep. She tossed and turned yet sleep would not come. She took her quilt off the floor and put it on top her satchel. She swallowed quietly as she got into bed with her father she made great effort to not wake him. She slept so good next to her pa.

Hank woke the next morning without a hang-over like usual. He looked to his side and found Emma curled against him. When did she get there? Why was she there in the first place? She yawned and stretch, turning the other way with her eyes closed. Hank had to admit; she did look pretty cute. He got up and dressed already when Emma opened her eyes.

"You awake young'un?" he asked kindly, out of character for him. She shot up quick at his voice. She jumped down.

"Uh, yes sir," she stuttered. She remembered climbing into bed but hoped she wouldn't get caught. She had.

"Get ready. We have to go get you some clothes and what not," Hank said opening the door. He shut the door as he went. She rushed her hair and washed her face. She practically ran down in excitement for the shopping trip with her pa.

"Now before we go, there are rules that you will follow," Hank said. Emma listened intently.

"You will listen to me at all times and be respectful. You won't talk to anyone you don't know, you will stay with me at all times and won't go wondering off anywhere," he said giving her a pointed look at the last rule. Emma dropped her head and blushed.

"So, if you don't follow my rules to the letter, I will drag you back here, turn you over my knee and whip you good. Do you understand me?" Emma's face went white at the threat. She definitely didn't want that to happen.

Hank crouched to her level and held onto her arms as he spoke.

"You best answer me before I give you a little demonstration of that promise. So, do you understand me?" She nodded her head fiercely with wide, frightened eyes.

"Yes, sir."

"Good, now don't make me repeat myself again. If I asked you a question, you answer me or you won't sit down for a week."

"Yes, sir."

"Alright, let's go then," Hank said as he led Emma toward the door.

They didn't take much time at all to make it over to Loren's store.

"Pick out a couple things," Hank said to Emma and she nodded as she looked at the ground. She moved quickly to the premade dresses and fabrics.

"Hey Loren," Hank called to the store owner who was staring at the little girl.

"What can I do for ya, Hank?" he asked as he snapped his attention away from the love child.

"Do you have any dresses that would fit the girl?" he asked as he tilted his head a little in her direction.

"Uh sure, I think she already found them though," Loren said as he noticed what the girl was interested in.

"I guess so," Hank said as something caught his eye and left Loren to get a better look at the item. Loren walked over and smiled his slightly awkward smile at her.

"Did you find something you like girl?" he asked as Emma looked up at the older man. Emma's mind echoed with her father's warning. She didn't want to get in trouble again. She bit her lip and looked back at the dresses. Loren looked upset at the girl's lack of manners.

"You know," Loren started a little roughly, "you should show a little respect and answer when your elders speak to you."

Emma was now unsure of what to do, her father did say to be respectful but he also said not to talk to anyone she didn't know. The predicament made her bit even harder on her sore lip with enough force that she tasted the blood that leaked between her lips.

"Well? Do you have anything to say to me?" Loren asked, looking for an apology. Emma went to open her mouth but shut it quickly as she tasted more blood oozing from her lip.

She was not going to get whooped for talking to strangers so she shook her and looked at the floor. Loren huffed and walked back over to his counter. Now, Emma just wanted to leave as soon as possible so she snatched two of the dresses and rushed to her father who was admiring a handgun.

He looked down at her and raised an eyebrow at quick she took. She showed him the dresses without saying a word and he took them. He placed them on the counter so he could pay for them and Mr. Bray gave her a look.

"Is this all you are wantin', Emma?" Hank asked as he paid.

"Yes, sir," she said to the ground.

"Oh so she does speak," Loren said snidely. Hank looked at him questionably.

"Well yeah," Hank said to his stupid comment.

"Well, I would teach that girl some respect before you bring her back in my store." Loren said as he went to stock.

This left Hank wondering what Emma had done now, right after he warned her about being respectful. He gave the purchases to Emma and held the back of her neck with this large calloused hand and walked her out of the store and back to their room in the saloon.

He shoved her in, angry that she dared to disobey him so soon. All the girl had done since she got there was cause trouble for Hank. He was gonna teach her to mind him, if it was the last thing he did. He closed the door as he entered himself. She still didn't dare face him.

Emma moved back, as far away from the angry Hank Lawson as she could get. Why was her father so angry? All she thought about was what she knew was coming next, his promise that she dreaded so definitely. She could just imagine how much it would hurt, how badly she would beg for mercy that Hank would ignore. She felt tears building in her eyes.

"Emmalee, what did I tell you before we left," Hank demanded of the child. Her voice caught as she heard the harshness of his question.

"You said…"

"Look at me when you talk to me," he order, his patience with the seven year old completely gone. She couldn't even answer with how frightened she was of Mr. Lawson.

Hank narrowed his eyes at her not answering him or doing what he said. He let out an aggravated breath and rolled up his sleeve on his dominate arm. This girl needed taught a lesson. He moved over to her and took her arm and put her over his knee as he sat in a chair.

She couldn't handle it anymore; she let out an awful sounding cry; her lip hurt, she tried to be good but all that got her was spanked anyway.

Hank halted his raised hand; he hadn't even started yet. What was her problem?

"Please don't, Mr. Lawson! I'll be better, sir!" she promised. 'Mr. Lawson?' Hank thought. He didn't have time to question her about it before she started her cries again.

"I tried, sir; I tried to listen. I'm sorry! I'm so sorry!" He rested his hand on her back.

"What do you mean you 'tried to listen'? You either listen or you don't and you didn't and I already promised you that you would get whooped if you didn't." She bit her lip at his logic and shrieked at the pain, it was still bleeding.

Hank nearly jumped at her cry. He set her on her feet, wanting to know what was wrong with her and that's when he saw it. Her lip had blood spread all across it and it had stained her lips a dark red and from where it was in her mouth, she looked awful with a red mouth like some kind of animal.

He took her chin and looked it over; he needed to get her to Mr. Mike. He gave her a rag to wipe some of the blood off and picked her up, resting her head on his shoulder. He carried her down and out of the saloon, getting some looks as he went. He carried her across the dusty road and barged into the clinic. Mr. Mike looked up from what she was doing and looked at them worried.

"What's going on, Hank?"

"She's bleeding," Hank said hurriedly. She gestured for Hank to set her on the medical bed. When she was there, she began cleaning her lip and mouth.

"How did this happen?" Michaela demanded of Hank.

"I don't know, Michaela," he said in his aggravated voice. Emma muffled another cry and Dr. Mike noticed.

"Hank, I think it would be best if you waited outside," Michaela ordered and pushed the confused Hand out the door. Stunned, he sat on the bench as Emma was worked on.

Inside, Michaela looked at Emma kindly.

"Emma?" Michaela asked. She looked up at the doctor with red, teary eyes.

"Yes, ma'am?"

"You must be completely honest with me. Could you do that?" she asked. Emma nodded.

"Emma, did… did Hank do this to you?" Emma looked taken ack.

"No, ma'am," she said shock that something she did was being pinned on her father.

"Emma, you said you would tell me the truth," she reminded the girl.

"I am."

"Ok, did someone in the saloon do this to you?"

"No, ma'am."

"What happened then, Emma?" Dr. Mike said curious about what could have happened to the girl so soon after she arrived.

"Mr. Lawson was angry at me and I hate it when I get yelled at so I was about to cry and I bit on my lip so I didn't."

"Why wouldn't you just cry?" Michaela questioned.

"My mother would get angrier at my whining so I didn't want Mr. Lawson to get angrier at me. I really like Mr. Lawson; I don't want him to not like me like mother did," Emma explained. Michaela's own anger at the treatment of the girl grew and she wrapped her arms around the child. Emma drew back from the doctor, not use to being held by a woman. Michaela nodded and held ice to the girl's lip.

"Keep this on for a few minutes, ok?" Emma nodded. Michaela opened her clinic door for Hank and he entered without having to be told.

"So what's going on?" Hank wondered.

"She bit pretty hard on her lip. She will need to ice it later but other than that, she will be fine. I would ask that you try to keep her from injuring herself like this further."

Hank nodded, of course she had that damn lip in her mouth, one of the first things he warned her not to do.

"Sure thing," Hank said as he picked Emma up and Emma handed the cloth back to Michaela.

"Well, I hope you get well soon, Emma," Michaela said as the father and daughter left her clinic.

Soon they had returned to the room, the chair of doom, as Emma nicknamed it, still in its spot. Hank sat down exhausted from all his worrying over nothing. Emma took that as she was not getting out of her punishment and she wasn't going to make him drag her over his lap. She approached him and laid herself over his lap.

Hank looked down in utter surprise.

"What are you doin' girl?" Emma sighed.

"I'm sorry I was disrespectful to that man. I just didn't want to get in trouble for talking to someone I didn't know like you said I would. I'm sorry, sir," she explained as she gave in to her punishment. Her side of the story floor Hank. He should have listened to her before going straight into whoopin' her. He couldn't spank her now; it really wasn't her fault, she was trying to do what he said to.

It was his turn to sigh as he set her on her feet, confusion marked her face.

"I'm not gonna whoop you this time cause I did say that but if an elder speaks to you and I know where you are and that they are talking to you, you may talk to them," Hank explained. Emma nodded with a smile that hurt her lips, happy her father wouldn't whip her.

Hank noticed her wince as she smiled and remembered that was another thing he needed to explain to the kid.

"So you aren't in trouble for the store thang but you are for this hurtin' yourself," he said as he bent her over a little.

"I don't ever want to catch you doin' this again," he emphasized with a smack.

"Oww."

"If I do" Swat! "You are gonna" Smack! "Get whooped" Swat! "Worse than this" Smack! "Do" Smack! "You" Swat! "Understand me" Smack! "Emmalee Rose?" Swat! Swat!

"Oww! Ahh! Owwie! Yes! Yes, sir! I understand, sir!" He turned her right and she cried softly as she rubbed her bottom.

"Good," Hank said and picked her up and placed her in his bed. "Lay there till you calm down then you can go outside and get outta my hair for a while." He left promptly after that. She snuggled into her father's comforter and loved his scent although it also smelled heavily of alcohol. She remembered a lot of the men her mother was with smelled like it.

**You could say there was a little misunderstanding for poor Emma... Please review, I hope you enjoyed the chapter.**


	5. Chapter 5

_**I'm so, so sorry it took so long to update. My computer was having problems and all of my chapters I have written were on it. I'll try to update more frequently. Please leave me a review and I'll try to get another chapter up by tonight to make it up to you guys!**_

She hiccupped from her crying. She wondered if she had to go outside or if she could just stay there. She decided she better go outside while she was allowed or risk not getting to at all.

She passed quickly through the loud saloon and felt the fresh air outside. She guessed all the children were at school due to the fact all she saw were small children and adults. What fun will she have playing by herself? She had done it many times before but she wanted to make friends here.

She tended to the horse she had ridden here on and as she did so she thought of her long, miserable journey. She had started the journey with another, a woman that was supposed to take her all the way to her father but the woman grew sick a few towns over and had died just like her mother and grandmother. The town had assumed she was the woman's daughter so she went along with it.

It was a terrible place to be without someone to protect her. All the men looked funny at her, like she was something to own, like a price. She stayed with an elderly couple as the town decided what to do with her. The night she left that town for good, she was having trouble sleeping, tossing and turning like something was wrong. She heard her door creak open and she shook with terror at who she recognized. The man came at her but she was quicker since he was drunk, severely drunk. She only had time to get her light bag and ran from the house, taking the woman's horse they came on. She thought of the horse as her savor since if it wasn't there she wouldn't either.

She stroked savor's mane at the memory. She truly loved her horse.

She brushed her out and fed her and walked her around for some exercise. School let out a few hours later and swarms of kids ran past on their ways home. Emma smiled but they just kept going as if she were invisible. She frowned and swept the saloon porch as her father had suggested she do as a chore. She watched as she swept the dust off the porch and the air carried it away.

"Hey, Emma!" she heard a boys voice call. She peered around for the owner of that voice and found it belonged to Brian, who she met just yesterday.

"Hi, Brian," she said with a smile and set the room up against the wall.

"You remember my name," he wondered, astonished.

"Of course, I remember you from yesterday."

"Oh yeah, so how are you liking it here?" he asked.

"Umm, I'm not sure yet," she replied honestly.

"Oh well, I'm sure you'll like it once you've been here long enough," he said, so sure of it. Emma just grinned in reply. So far all that has happened to her in this town was find out her father owns a saloon, got a bloody lip and got spanked…twice.

"If you say so," she finally said.

"So, I was wondering if you wanted to go fishing or something," he offered. Emma looked a little hesitant about that. She had never been fishing or something before in her life.

"But if you don't like fishing, we can go play in the woods or at my house or something else."

"Sure Brian, I'd like that. I just have to ask Mr. Lawson," she said and hurried to ask her father.

Cigar smoke and alcohol was thick in the air as she found her father pouring drinks behind the bar.

"Sir?" she asked quietly.

"What?" Hank demanded. "Can't you see I'm busy?" Emma swallowed out of nervousness.

"I'm sorry, sir but I was just wondering if I could go play with Brian."

"Brian? You mean Dr. Mike's boy?"

"Yes, sir," she said anxious for an answer.

"I guess but you have to be back before dark. I mean it," he added with authority.

"Yes, sir," she smiled. "Thank you!" She ran out and told him she could go. They ran off toward his house where they played tag, hide and seek and skip rocks. It was that moment that Emma decided she liked having a friend, especially since that friend was Brian Cooper.

After a hard round of tag, they stopped and had some water.

"So, Hank is your pa?" Brian asked.

"That's what my mother said."

"Why isn't she here?"

"She died," Emma said plainly.

"Oh, I'm sorry. My real ma died too, of a snake bite so Dr. Mike took us in and now we have a ma and a pa now," Brian sympathized.

"That's nice of your new parents to take you in."

"Yeah, so what happened to your ma?"

"She…she was…sick."

"Oh, sorry," he said.

"It's ok, I went to live with my grandma but she was old; she just died so here I am with Mr. Lawson."

"Well, at least you still have your pa. Hey, Emma why do you call him Mr. Lawson?" he wondered.

"What else should I call him?"

"What about pa since he is your pa?"

"I don't think he would want me to," she admitted.

"Why not?" he questioned confused.

"I'm always in trouble. Why would he want a daughter who is nothing but trouble?"

"I get in trouble sometimes but my ma and pa still let me call them that," he reasoned.

"Yeah but they're not Hank. I don't think he even wants me around," she admitted.

They had just finished up talking when a long hair man approached. Emma backed away from the man. Brian noticed her fear and tried to ease it.

"It's ok, Emma. That's just my pa, Sully. Hi, pa," he called and waved.

"Hi, Brian, Who is this?" he asked about Emma.

"Oh this is Emma; she's Hank's daughter," he introduced.

"Oh," Sully said in surprise. "Well, it's nice to meet you, I'm Sully."

"Yes, you're Brian's pa, right?"

"Yep," Sully chuckled. "Do you know where your ma is, Brian?"

"Yeah, she's still at the clinic."

"Ok, thanks. Don't stay out here too long it's getting dark." That's when panic set in for Emma.

"Oh no," she said to herself.

"Is everything alright, Emma?" Sully asked.

"I have to be back before dark. I'm going to be in so much trouble," she worried.

"It's ok, here; I'll give you a ride there." Emma nodded in appreciation. They rode in the wagon to town and Sully helped Emma and Brian out when they arrived.

"Well, bye Emma," Brian said.

"Bye Brian, Mr. Sully," she said as she turned to leave.

"Hey, Emma," Brian called.

"Yeah?" she asked.

"Do you want to play tomorrow too?"

"Yes, yes I would Brian. Thank you," she said happily and ran into the saloon.

"What are ya so happy about?" Hank asked as he served another person.

"Oh, it's nothing, sir. Goodnight," she said as she disappeared up the stairs.

"Alright," Hank said as he went back to work but was still curious about what had gotten into her.


	6. Chapter 6

**_Here's the chapter I promised and I appreciate all the reviews I got (even the ones that hurt my feelings, I mean if you don't want to read a story with spanking in it, find a different story cause I put the warning in the description) Tell me what you think. Thank you_**

By the time Hank had made it up to his room, Emma was already fast asleep on her freshly cleaned quilt, tired from her day out. He shrugged, glad to have his bed back to himself, however, he felt sorta bad Emma had to sleep on the floor. Hank gathered the small child in his arms and placed her on one side of the bed; she did not wake so he also got in bed and fell asleep.

Emma started school the following week since Michaela Quinn kept on Hank about it until he agreed. Although, Emma was excellent in school, her social skills were a different story; her only friend was Brian and his sister Colleen of course. It was pretty tame, the name calling, until one day during lunch.

"You're nothing but a charity case, Lawson," Susan yelled at her. Emma rolled her eyes. She didn't know exactly what that meant but she knew it sounded like a horrible thing.

"What's the matter, Lawson? Did your whore mother's abortion not work?" Susan's brother David joined in. Everyone laughed and Emma clenched her fist.

"If I were Hank, I would be ashamed to have a daughter like her; she nothing but a stupid whore who probably gives it up to Cooper," another accused. The laughing started again and it was deafening to Emma.

"Who even knows if Hank really is her father?" Susan laughed. Emma hopped up, fuming.

"You take that back!" she ordered, getting closer and closer to Susan.

"No," she said so sure of herself, "I bet Hank knows you aren't his and is just waiting for the day he can make you one of his whores to replace your stupid, dead mother."

Emma's fist then broke the girl's nose and the blood poured like a river. The other kids ran, worried they would be next except David who jumped Emma. He hit her over and over on the back since he had her face down in the dirt. She managed to roll him off and got a solid kick to his testicles. She punched him in the face for good measure but by then the teacher was there.

"Emmalee Lawson!" she screamed. Emma stood just to be hauled away by the teacher. She, to her surprise, was not pulled toward the school house for a paddling as she thought but toward the saloon. Her stomach dropped.

"Mr. Lawson," her teacher said as she spotted him in the nearly empty saloon, "I ask that you keep your child under control and to teach her not to start fights at my school! She broke Susan and David Mazes noses and I don't see a scratch on her! She has caused nothing but trouble since she started class! She is not welcome back in my school Mr. Lawson; she is your problem!" The teacher flung her toward her father as she stormed off and out of the saloon.

Shocked, Hank ordered for everyone to leave his saloon. When he closed and locked up, he turned back around to Emma.

"Oww!" she cried as he roughly took her arm and marched her up the steps to his private room. He placed her nose in the corner.

"Stay right there," he ordered. She cried.

Hank moved the chair he usually used to punish her to the center of the room and the legs scrapped across the floor. As the noise of Emma cries fill the room, Hank had to decide how to punish the girl for fighting. Sure he had gotten into many fights as a kid and even more as an adult but he wanted her to be better than him, to be smarter than him.

He sat in the chair and let her cry a little longer.

"Come here," he ordered. Emma came as she tried to quiet down her sobs. He positioned her between his knees.

"Look at me, Emma," he said and guided her chin up so their matching eyes were looking at each other.

"What did I tell you when I let you start going to school?"

"Y-you said to learn something and to be g-good," she sobbed.

"Mm hmm and is starting fights being good?"

"n-no, sir," she replied.

"So what do you think I'm gonna do since you disobeyed me?" he asked.

"Y-you're probably g-gonna w-w-whoop me," she cried. Hank nodded and laid her over his left knee.

"You were a bad girl today, Emmalee Rose," Hank scolded with a smack.

"Oww!"

"You know better than to start fights at school." Smack!

"Oww!"

Hank then just let his hand do the talking. He alternated where he placed the smacks ever so often so he wouldn't bruise her. She squirmed and kicked as he did.

"Ah! Owwie! Oww! I'm sorry! Oww! I won't… Oww! Do it again…Ah! Please! Oww! I'm sorry! Ah!

"You're damn right you won't do it again," Hank emphasized with three swats to her sit spot.

"Oww!" After the whoopin', Hank stood Emma up on her feet and held her by the arms.

"Did I make myself clear, Emmalee Rose?"

"Y-yes, sir."

"Will you be starting fights anymore?"

"No, s-sir, I won't."

"Good because if you do, I will be taking off my belt. Do you understand me, little girl?" Hank said parentally.

"Yes, sir…" she cried and as Hank let go of her arms she wrapped them around his neck, hugging him for dear life. She cried her heart out as the kids' words echoed in her mind.

Hank was still very new to this parenting thing so all he did was put one arm around her and used the other hand to stroke her hair.

She reveled in the comfort. Her pa was hugging her, comforting her. She snuggled closer to him. Sure, in the beginning life with her pa was not so good and very confusing but it was much better now and it was moments like this that made her love him. She sobbed hard at the idea that he wasn't her pa at all.

"Hush now," Hank said as he tried to quiet her.

"I'm sorry, sir!"

"I know you are," he responded, still comforting her. He sat the girl on his lap and although her backside must have hurt to do so, she didn't complain. She stopped crying and fell asleep on his shoulder. She was then placed on the bed and that's when Hank decided it was time for her to get her own room.

He made sure she was sound asleep before he left to find one of his girls to get her room ready.

Emma woke not much later, her backside sore and with an even sorer back. That whole side of her just hurt. She remembered the pounding and it made her back throb. She didn't have much more time to think on it before Hank Lawson re-entered the shared room.

"Good, you're up. Come with me," he ordered as he left the room. She scurried to catch up to him.

"This," he said gesturing to a door they had stopped in front of, "is your new room. Do with it what you want but keep it clean and keep the noise down."

"Yes, sir," she answered automatically as he left to run his business, unsure of what else he could say to her.

It was true, although he had never admitted it; he cared for Emma and that scared him. The more people he cared about, the more he would have to lose one day. It is also true that he would probably have connected better with a boy. He did pimp out whores for crying out loud. He would never and could never treat Emma the way he does those girls and it was for that reason, amongst other, he was having such a hard time with her.

What did he know about caring for a little girl?


	7. Chapter 7

_To the guest reviewer who dislikes my story, read another story if this isn't your thing it won't hurt my feelings. I would like to point out to you Hank has never hit Emma with a belt so no he isn't abusive &amp; I welcome a wide range of readers but I don't welcome those who want to be hateful about a** fictional western story** and **parts of that story that has never happened ** *If reviewers become too rude with their reviews they will be deleted a__nd/__or blocked _

Emma checked out her new room alone. It was basically the same as Mr. Lawson room but there was no doubt in Emma's mind his was the nicer of the two. That wasn't to say she was ungrateful or that the room wasn't suitable, she would just miss sleeping in the same room as him.

She noticed that all her things were put away nicely; Hank must have had one of the ladies do it for her. It was nice because that left her with just relaxing. She climbed into her bed and lay down. She wasn't tired but her body was sore and aching a little. She hid a couch in the crook of her elbow, deciding it would just be best if she went back to sleep. She would be better in the morning.

Awaking with a gut retching pain, Emma sprang from her bed and proceeded to throw up everything she had eaten the last few days. Tears fell from her face as she finished and she sweated so profusely it was hard to tell where the sweat was and what tears were. Her stomach tightened from the inside like putting knots in a rope. She breathed deeply and rinsed her mouth out with the glass of water that was in the room from yesterday, splashing the rest onto her face and on the back of her neck.

She wobbled like a drunken man as she walked to her father's room. Was it this far away just yesterday afternoon? She tried to grab onto anything but her hand found nothing before she found herself on the ground, crawling like a toddler. Cold flashed through her body and out of the top of her head and left her ears burning.

Curling up and dying sounded like a pretty good idea right now. The hallway spun in almost a complete circle, rocking like a ship on the high seas as it came in and out of focus.

'Just make it to Hank,' she told herself mentally. That was her last thought before everything went dark.

"Emmmma…" she heard an echo say. "Emma…Are you waking up? Come on, wake up, dear. Your father's waiting for you to open your eyes." Emma flickered her eyes before they finally stayed open. She was at the clinic in a room mostly of white. It smelled heavily of medicines.

"Wh-what happened, Dr. Quinn?" Emma asked her voice weak.

"It seems you were severely affected by a stomach virus. Usually they're dormant for a few weeks before you feel anything so you most likely arrived with the infection already in your system, although, I'm not completely sure if that's what it is."

"I'm sorry," Emma croaked. Dr. Mike patted her hand.

"There is nothing for you to feel sorry for. You were sick; it wasn't your fault. You most likely weren't fed properly to get your accentual nutrients. That lowered your immune system and made you susceptible to it. I was able to break your fever while you were unconscious."

"Oh," Emma said simply.

"Hank has been very worried about you, Emma," the doctor added.

"I didn't mean for Mr. Lawson to worry."

"It's only natural for him to worry. To be completely honest, it was a very real possibility you weren't going to wake up. Everyone was extremely worried for you, especially Brian and Hank."

Emma thought for a moment before she finally spoke.

"Am I gonna die, Dr. Quinn?"

"Oh, no, dear, you aren't going to die. You will be absolutely fine. I will do everything in my power to get you well again," the shocked doctor promised.

Emma nodded, unsure whether to believe the woman or not.

"Hank is waiting to see you. I'll get you some soup and I'll go get him; I'm sure he'll be up soon," Dr. Mike said as she left the room. True to her word, the saloon owner appeared momentarily. His eyes were rimmed with dark circles; Emma guessed it was from lack of sleep.

"Hello, Mr. Lawson," Emma said unsure of herself. He sighed and sat next to Emma.

"Hey, girl, you doin' better?" he asked with a softness Emma was not used to. Emma nodded.

"What happened?"

"I found ya just outside my door and that's when I took you to Michaela. You looked like you were dead. The doc said you were pretty sick."

"She told me."

"Why didn't you tell me you were sick?" he demanded gently.

"I didn't feel sick. I swear I didn't until I got into bed. I thought I would be better by morning," she admitted sheepishly. Hank sighed.

"It's ok, it doesn't matter now because you're gonna get better but…" He paused. "Just don't ever do that to me again," he urged.

"Yes, sir." Emma didn't really know how she could prevent it but she could tell without Hank saying as much, he worried about her, maybe even cared for her. Emma didn't want to get too ahead of herself though.

"Good," he said as he moved her hair away from her face, cupping it so it fit into his hand in a loving gesture.

He remembered how scared he really was when he thought she was dead outside his door.

_He had just woken up and instantly he felt something was wrong. He dressed quickly, trying to shake the feeling but he just couldn't. Opening the door to his room, he discovered a lump of clothes and a mess of blonde hair, the cause of the dreaded feeling. Emma was white as snow and laid in an uncomfortable looking position so close to his door he feared he might step on her if he had not been paying attention._

_His heart sank as he realized she was barely breathing._

_"Emma!" he called out as he scooped her up in his arms, her skin as cold as December. She felt so light in his arms. She could be dead. His daughter could be dead…_

Hank shook his head of the uncomfortable memory and let go of Emma who had started to dows off again.

"You go on back to sleep and I'm gonna talk to Dr. Mike to see when we can get ya out of here," he said and helped Emma pull the covers back over herself. He brushed the hair away from her face for the last time before leaving the room.

**_Please Review!_**


	8. Chapter 8

The next few weeks proved interesting since Emma was kicked out of school for three weeks. The period of time was decided on after a meeting of the town council on the subject where Hank ensured the teacher "that girl won't be causin' anymore problems at school if she wanted to ever sit down again." She had a lot more time in the saloon and helped her father where she could. She even learned how to play poker from some of the men when her father wasn't looking of course.

She played with her horse and done her chores and even kept a close friendship with her only two friends. She helped her pa play pranks on Mr. Slicker, the mayor of the town, even though she helped without Hank knowing.

"Woo that was a good one," he laughed after a rather funny prank which left Jake soaked from head to toe in syrup and white with feathers. It was a rather elementary prank but it funny nonetheless and Emma wanted to make her father proud of her for something. Hank had no idea who pulled the prank but it was funny. She never told anyone it was her; she was just happy Hank approved of it, whoever he thought it was didn't matter because something she did pleased her father.

A week or so after the prank there was a fight in the saloon which ended with Hank throwing a couple guys out the doors and beating them for making a grab at Emma like she was one of the girls that worked for him. The guys were obviously too drunk to realize she was only seven and/or the saloon owner's daughter.

Emma watched from the front steps of the saloon as it happened. She grew frightened as Hank threw punch after punch and cried as they hit him back.

"Don't you ever come back in my saloon again and if you touch her again or even look her way, I'll kill you! That's my daughter you bastard!" Hank yelled as he threw one final punch after catching a glimpse of the scared Emma. She was completely terrified with her eyes wide in shock and tears down her face.

"Your daughter?" he said drunkenly. "I don't see it." Emma didn't know how he could still be awake right now after that brawl, let alone see correctly. Although she had logic on her side, it still hurt that she looked so little, if at all, like her father for them not to know. Susan's words sprang to mind and she couldn't shake them.

"Who even knows if Hank really is her father?"… "Who even knows if Hank really is her father?"… "Who even knows if Hank really is her father?"…

"Emma?" Hank said taking Emma away from her thoughts. "You alright, kid?"

"Uh…um yeah, I'm ok," she lied. Hank could tell she was lying and led her back into the saloon and upstairs where they could have a minute alone.

"Now," he started as they stood in the upstairs hallway, "are you gonna tell me the truth?" Emma just looked at him sadly, fearing she was in trouble.

"Are you ok?" he asked again, wiping the tears from her face.

"I was just a little… scared," she admitted and looked at the ground immediately afterward. Hank sighed. Emma felt his hand pull her chin up to look at him. He knelt down to her and held her arms lightly.

"You know I wouldn't let them hurt you right?" he asked her gently. She nodded.

"Were you afraid I was gonna hurt you?" he asked. She bit her lip and returned her gaze to the floor.

"You were really mad and if I ever made you really mad… I'm afraid you'll do that to me too," she said quietly. Hank pulled her chin back up and had Emma look into his eyes. He wasn't angry.

"I will never hurt you, Emma. I promise you, I will never hurt you like that. You are my daughter Emmalee Rose; I just couldn't do that to ya. I'm sorry I scared you, darlin'," he said with a soft tone so as to not scare her anymore and show his sincerity.

Emma was beyond stunned that the Hank Lawson was apologizing to her; she was speechless.

"Mr. Lawson?" she asked after a few seconds.

"Hhm?"

"I-I'm sorry I worried you when I was sick and I'm sorry I got into that fight at school," she apologized. Seeing this fight reminded her of that one and she wanted to get this off her chest. However, Hank had forgotten all about the fight after he punished her. Why was she talkin' about it again?

"It's already forgotten Emma."

"I just wanted to explain why I did it and ask you a question, if I could sir."

"Alright," Hank said, curious to her reasons and question.

"They've been making fun of me, calling me a charity case and a future whore. They said I wasn't even your daughter and I just got mad," she admitted sheepishly, a little embarrassed that she was telling him this. "I want to be a daughter you would be proud of, one that you would want to keep. I know I haven't done anything to make you proud or make you wanna keep me so far but…"

"Emma…" Hank started.

"I just wanted to know if… I'm not your real daughter… if you would consider keeping me anyway?" Hank looked shocked at the girl. What could he say to that? If she wasn't his would he keep her? It was obvious he wasn't father material right? It all came down to one question…

Could he live without her?

"Emma," he said shaking his head left to right, "if you aren't mine… then your pa must have looked a hell of a lot like me. When you first came here, I didn't know what to do with you but now…I don't know what I would do without you. Yes, you're a pain in the hind end sometimes and I don't know much about raisin' a little girl but… you're here to stay, Emma."

"No matter what?" she asked as a tear left her eye.

"No matter what," he promised. She smiled and hugged him which he welcomed, lifting her off the ground and into his arms.

"Thank you," she whispered with her voice full of emotion. He kissed her head and walked her to her bedroom.

"Goodnight, Emma," he said as he walked away. She watched him as he walked away and he went downstairs into the loud saloon.

"Goodnight…I-I love you," she tested out before she shut her door.

_**I thought it was time for a little protective Hank. What do you think? What do you wa**__**nt to happe**__**n **__**next? **__**Please Review.**_


	9. Chapter 9

Emma, already dressed and ready for her first day back at school, walked down the saloon stairs with dread. Would they continue to make fun of her? Would her teacher still not like her because of the fight? She hadn't heard much about school since she left that day. She had played with Brian and Colleen but they never really bring up the subject so she wouldn't either, she enjoyed their friendship so much she didn't want to ruin their good times with the horrible event. Emma, also, never told anyone about the "giving it up" comment, not knowing exactly what it meant but knew it wasn't good.

The walk to the school house was like a walk to the gallows. She took a deep, even breath before she proceeded to the one-roomed school. The children, still playing outside, stopped what they were doing to stare at her. Emma looked around nervously before a small group of them came up to her. She didn't know what to expect from them but held her ground.

"You're the girl who fought Susan right?" the oldest of them asked. She nodded still weary of the group. They all smiled at her.

"That was really cool how you stood up for yourself," the boy said. "She had been pickin' on my little sister for forever before you showed up. I couldn't do anything because I'm not allowed to hit girls so…Thanks," he said and stuck out his hand and she shook it.

"Hey, Emma, do you want to play with us?" a girl named Anne asked, with agreement from the other kids in the group.

"I would like that, yes," she said and followed them to play until the teacher called them inside to start their lessons. All the children scurried inside, Emma the very last. Her teacher stopped her at the door with a hand on her shoulder.

"May I have a word, Emma?" she asked and Emma got very nervous. What had she done?

"Yes, ma'am," she said and took a step back.

"You're father has ensured me you will cause no more problems while you're at school. Is that correct?"

"Yes, ma'am, that is correct," Emma said looking more at the ground then at her teacher.

"Good, however, I know you were not the one that instigated the fight you were in."

"You do?" Emma asked with curiosity, eyeing the educator.

"Yes, some of the other children told me what happened after I caught them talking about it the other day. I'm sorry I immediately suspected it was your entire fault and that I didn't ask your side of the story."

"It's alright ma'am," Emma said shocked an adult was apologizing to her. She did hit Susan first.

"If you have any problems with anyone, let me know. Do not start fights," the teacher instructed sternly. Emma smiled.

"Yes, ma'am."

Maybe school wasn't as bad as what she thought.

Hank wasn't sure what to do. He stood by the entry way of his saloon, flipping his hat back and forth between his hands. He felt as though he had been standing there forever before he spotted who he came looking for.

"Sully," he called casually, walking over to him.

"Hank? What can I do for ya?" he asked confused.

"I-I need to talk to you about something," Hank said nervously. Sully nodded waited for Hank to speak.

"Could we talk in private?" he asked looking around at people on the streets. The two men walked to the saloon and found a quiet place to talk.

"What is it Hank?" Sully asked, concerned especially since he came to him with something, something they couldn't talk about in town.

"I..I'm messin' up," the saloon owner said lowly and with great difficulty.

"What? How are you messin' up?"

"With Emma, Sully, I just don't know how to be a father to her."

"You seem to be doing a good job of raisin' her so far," Sully tried to reassure him.

"No I ain't. That girl is scared to death of me. She's afraid I was gonna hurt her the other night. I whoop her, seems like, all the time. It's the only way I know to get her to mind me. Help me, Sully, I don't know what to do. I don't want her to be afraid."

The heart to heart truly surprised Sully since after all it was coming from Hank, the Hank Lawson.

"Well, have you just tried talkin' to her, Hank, when she's in trouble or do you just go right into hittin' her?"

"First, it's not like I'm abusin' her; I'm disciplining her. Second, I didn't come here to get judged on my parentin' skills," he said kinda offended, taking a step away from the Indian clothed man.

"I know. I'm sorry," Sully said with his hands up in surrender. Hank calmed a little, his shoulders less tensed up.

"All I'm sayin' is, just talk to her Hank. I also don't think she's scared to death of you; that little girl idolizes you. I see it." Hank rolled his eyes. Who in their right mind would idolize him of all people?

"She loved you, Hank. The question is do you love her?"

"Uh…" the saloon owner stammered. Love was such a heavy word, not somethin' to just be throwin' around.

"Yeah, I do," he finally said to his own surprise. He did love that little girl and he never really thought he could say that about anyone. Heck, he never thought he would have a daughter of his own.

"Well," Sully said with a smile, "it won't hurt to say it, especially to Emma." With that Sully made it way back into town and over to the clinic to see his wife while Hank stood there just thinkin'.

What kinda sissy advice was that?

**Please Review! It inspires me to write more!**


	10. Chapter 10

_**Thank you to my lovely reviewers!**_

The saloon was finally closed up for the night. Hank sat with a shot in hand, Emma a few tables over with a piece of paper and a pencil. Hank just sat thinking of what he could do to make amends with his kid and so she doesn't fear him. He didn't know what to do…

Emma, after putting down her pencil, sat and looked at her father. He looked like he was thinkin' hard about something but she had no idea what. He looked miserable. She wanted her father to be happy. She thought for a moment if she had done something to make him mad at her and she couldn't think of anything so she decided it was ok to approach him. She gathered all of her courage as she slipped down from her chair. It was now or never.

Hank felt a tiny tug on his sleeve and looked up from his shot to see Emma holdin' a piece of paper.

"What?" he asked with a tired voice. She took a step away from him, deciding she was too close for comfort. She needed to be far enough away in case she needed to get away quick. She had learned never to be too close to men; she had learned that the hard way too many times in her young life.

"I uh.." She was very nervous all of a sudden. "This is for you..uh, sir." She quickly handed him the paper and nearly ran to sit down in her chair. Did he like it?

Hank looked the picture over and was amazed at what he saw. It was him sketched out; it was almost life-like. She was amazing. Art was not something she could have got from him and he never really recalled Kara being too good at drawin' either. Where did she learn to do this? It looked almost exactly like him. He did, however, see that it was shaded very heavily almost giving him a mean look to him. Was this how she saw him? Dark and mean?

Emma waited for his reaction and she heard his sigh. Oh, no, he doesn't like it.

"Emma, come over here," Hank said without looking at her. She went cold at the thought of herself in trouble. He put the picture on the table as he waited for her. She got up and went over as she was told.

"I'm sorry," she said rushed as she stood in front of the still seated Hank. "I'm sorry you don't like it. I just...just wanted to do somethin' for you, sir… I'm sorry." Tears welled up in her eyes and she bit down on her lip.

"Emmalee Rose, what have I told you about biting on your lip?" her father questioned. She stifled a cry. He had said she would get a whoopin'. Could she do anything right?

"Not to…" she said lowly, waiting for punishment. Hank took her chin and made her release her lip from her teeth by using his thumb to softly pull it from her mouth. She released it and tears came from her eyes. Hank wiped them away with his thumb as well.

"Don't do it again," he said softly. "Now tell me, why are you cryin'?"

"I…you said if I kept biting my lip you would…I didn't want a whoopin' sir."

"I get that but you only bite your lip when you think you're in trouble and so why were you biting your lip in the first place? Did you do something to get yourself in trouble?"

"No, well, you don't like the picture. I made you mad by it and I'm sorry." Hank looked at her with the most confused look he could muster.

"You thought you were in trouble over a drawing?" That was ridiculous. Why would she even think that?

"Yes, sir," she said with her head down. "Mother never really liked my drawings either and she would get mad at them. I guess at the way I drew her and whenever she's mad I got punished by whoever she told me to call "papa" that week." She stopped at thought of what she had just admitted and looked for her father's reaction. She was told never to talk about what happened with her 'papas', ever.

"They punished you?" he said, his voice angry. Emma nodded.

"They told me I was bad and I wouldn't make mother angry."

"Well, I can promise you, Emma, you aren't in trouble, especially over a picture."

"I'm not?" she wondered, amazed at how he was talkin' to her. She was just expectin' a whippin' and told to get to her room, not being talked to without punishment.

"No," he said and lifted her up into his lap, setting her on his knee.

"Then why did you call me over?" she asked. She was shocked at her boldness. Hank chuckled.

"Your drawin' is really good darlin', that's all I wanted to tell you. You don't have to be afraid every time I'm near ya. I'm not like those men your ma was with. You understand?"

"Yes, sir, I understand," Emma said with a smile. Well, Sully and his sissy advice worked, although Hank would probably never admit it out loud. His little girl was smilin' at him. He couldn't help but smile at her as well. Something surprising happened next.

Emma turned toward her father some more and hugged him without cryin'. Hank hugged her back and stroked her blonde hair. They sat there for a while until Emma yawned, drifting in and out of sleep.

"Go on to bed Emma," Hank said and stood up, setting her on her feet. Emma took a couple steps before turning toward her father.

"Emma, go to bed now," Hank repeated.

"Can you carry me please, Hank?" Hank… well I guess that's better than Mr. Lawson.

"Alright," he said as he gathered the little girl into his arms and walked toward her room, "but don't get used to it, missy." Emma giggled.

"Yes, sir." She rested her head on his shoulder, content with her situation.

Hank laid the girl in her bed and she rolled over to her side.

"Goodnight Hank."

"Night Emma," he said as he walked away.

"I love you," she sighed, already asleep. Hank stopped dead in his tracks and turned towards her in shock. He walked back over to her and kissed her head lightly, surprising himself in the process.

"I love ya too," he whispered before leavin' the room.

Hank made his way down stairs again to clean up the tables. He downed his shot and wiped everything down. He picked up Emma's picture of him and made his way to his room. He put it on his bed side table as he readied himself for bed. He picked it up and looked at it some more before tacking it to the corner wall, where Emma had slept when she first arrived.

Maybe this father thing wasn't so hard after all.

_**Tell me what you think :) leave a review! I almost always add in your ideas.**_


	11. Chapter 11

thank you to all my reviewers! 

"Emma," she heard her father call from downstairs.

"Yes, sir?" she answered back, coming out of her room and peering through the banister to the saloon floor.

"Did you feed that horse of yours yet?"

"No, sir," she responded, understanding why her father was calling her. Feeding was part of her chores which she has yet to start that day.

"Best get to it, girl. Have you started any of your chores?" She looked away guiltily. She looked back at him to see his disapproving glare with his arms crossed.

"Get it done or you're not going to be doing anything but sitting in your room today, which includes playing outside with Brian." Her eyes widened at his threat. Brian was her best friend though! Emma ran to get her chores started.

The female Lawson sweated as she quickly swept floors and wiped down tables. She practically slung her horse her feed and filled up her water trough. Emma ran upstairs and made her bed, put away her pencils and parchment, rushing downstairs again in front of her father.

"Can I go play with Brian now, Hank?" she asked, breathing a little hard. He looked at her like he wanted to laugh.

"What?" she asked. He shook his head and pushed his daughter toward the doors.

"You can go now, but ya best be back before dark. I mean it," he said as he gave her an extremely light swat to her backside, more to get her goin' then to punish her. She turned and smiled at him before running across the road where she spotted her playmate.

"Hey, Brian," she greeted him with a smile.

"Hey, Emma!" he replied excitedly. He took a moment to turn to his parents, Sully and Dr. Mike.

"Can I go now, ma, pa?"

"Of course, Brian," his mother said with a smile and turned to Emma. "Have fun you two." She took that moment to go into her clinic.

"Where are you two gonna be headed today?" Sully questioned.

"We wanted to go to the creek and hang out and try some fishing. Emma's never been fishing before pa," he said with disbelief.

"Oh, really? Well like your ma said, have fun, and be safe ok?" he said to his adopted son and gave him a brief hug. Emma watched the scene enviously. Hank has never really hugged her, just to hug her.

"Ok, pa," he said as they hurried away. Brian started to run but apparently Emma ran too slowly for his liking and slowed just a bit to grab her hand. Emma's heart leaped at the gesture and as they ran, her eyes followed her best friend as a crush started to form.

* * *

"So have you called Hank 'pa' yet?" Brian wondered aloud as they skipped rocks.

"No," she admitted. "I don't want to call him pa."

"Why?" Brian asked with confusion. Emma took the rock she had in her hand and just let it fall into the stream of water.

"Because he's different. I've had a lot of papa's and pa's and father's, Brian. They were all the same. I don't want Hank to be like them."

"How were they all the same?"

"They never wanted me, Brian; they wanted to be with my mother so she made me call them all 'papa' or something like that. They all wanted me out of the way or to be a good little girl and do what they say without question. They all hated me. I don't want Hank to hate me. I-I love him."

"Why don't you tell him that then?"

Emma shrugged.

"My ma says the best way to fix a problem is to talk about it," Brian said and threw his rock that skipped three spaces, "and if you don't want to call him pa you can call him something else like Dad or pap or pops." They both giggled at the last two suggestions; they sounded so odd for Hank.

"Thank you, Brian," she said appreciatively. She felt so lucky to call him her best friend.

"No problem Emma. Hey you want to build a fort with me? It will be fun. We can't tell anyone though, it will be like our secret hideout like for whenever you just want to be alone or something. Just the two of us will know."

"Sure! Where are we gonna build it though?" Emma asked, smiling about the idea of them having their own hideout, just her and Brian.

"Umm, how about in a cave, Sully showed me where some are."

"But then, wouldn't he know where it was?"

"You're right. How about in a tree?"

"What about over there?" Emma suggested, pointing to the small waterfall.

"How can we build anything there?" Brian asked confused. Emma smiled and took Brian's hand, pulling him towards the water and then through it. Behind was a small hideaway.

"Wow, how did you find this place?" Brian said astonished.

"When I through my rock over this way earlier I heard it hit but I didn't hear the splash so I knew there had to be something back here."

"That's amazing," Brian said. "We don't even have to build; it's already made for us."

"Yeah and it's just for us."

"Yeah but we have to swear not to tell anyone."

"Ok."

"Raise your right hand. Do you swear not to tell anyone about our hideout?"

"I swear. Now you raise your right hand. Do you swear not to tell anyone about our hideout?"

"I swear." They both put down their hand but when Emma had her arm up Brian noticed some sort of mark on her wrist.

"Hey, what happened to your wrist Emma?"

"Oh," she said as she looked at it, "that's just my birthmark."

"That's cool. It looks like a star." Emma smiled at the compliment; she had always found her birthmark to be ugly.

"Thanks, Brian," she said as she looked away to prevent him from seeing her blush. The setting sun casted colorful rainbows off the water.

"We better go, Brian; it's almost dark," she said quickly running back out of the hideout. Brian appeared moments later and they raced back into town, both soaking wet.

* * *

"Brian, why are you wet?" Dr. Mike questioned him when they got back. She was just about to get into the carriage seat with her husband when she spotted her son.

"Um, well, I um we just..."

"Sorry, Dr. Quinn," Emma spoke up. "I fell in the creek while we were fishing and Brian tried to help me up but I accidently pulled him in." Emma and Brian looked at each other to confirm that was what they were going with.

"It's ok Emma, thank you for your honesty. Come along Brian; we have to get you home and in dry clothes before you catch a cold." Brian nodded and his pa helped him into the buggy.

"I'll see you tomorrow, Em," Brian said with a wave.

"See you tomorrow, Coop," she said, coming up with a nickname like he had for her.

"Have a good evening, Emma," Michaela said as the family rode toward home. Emma turned toward the saloon and ran inside and up the stairs to avoid all of the drunken men. Hank however noticed his soaking wet daughter dash for the stairs and wondered why she returned home in such a state.

He decided to find out. Hank went up the stairs and down the hall to his daughter's bedroom door. He knocked twice.

"Emma?"

"Yes?" he heard her say through the door.

"Are you decent?" he asked awkwardly. He surely didn't want to open her door if she was changing.

"Yes." Hank opened the door and saw Emma had already changed into her night gown.

"So what was with you bringin' the river inside," he joked, leaning against the doorframe. Emma giggled which made Hank smile like it always did.

"I fell in the creek while Brian and me were tryin' to fish, sorry." Hank dismissed it and looked her over.

"Did you eat today? I know you didn't come back for dinner or had supper yet." Emma looked down.

"No, I didn't but I wasn't hungry." He raised an eyebrow at her.

"Well still, you need ta eat somethin'. I'll have one of the girls bring you some food." He caught one of his girls who stood just down the hall and she left to do as he asked. Emma smiled a little; she liked it that he worried about stuff like that, her mother never did nor her grandmother.

"So what all did you do today?"

"We skipped rocks and played tag, hide and seek and he tried to get me to fish."

"Oh, sounds like fun."

"Yeah, well, except fishing. It was so boring..."

"Boring huh? He must have not been teachin' ya right. Fishin' is loads of fun," he informed her moving to sit next to her on her bed.

"Could you teach me?" she blurted out and a blush appeared on her cheeks. He wouldn't possibly have the time.

"Yeah, I think we can do that sometime," he said with his signature smile.

"Really?" she asked with a smile.

"Really." Soon afterward, her food arrived along with some for Hank. He was about to leave the room with his meal but a disappointed looking Emma caused him to change his mind and they sat on her bed eating away at their supper together, discussing when and where to fish to get a good catch. It grew late into the night before they realised.

"Alright, get in bed, young'n," Hank said as he assisted her with pulling down her bedding away so she could get under it.

"Goodnight, Hank," she said sleepily.

"Goodnight, Emma," he returned and started to shut the door.

"I love you." Hank stopped for a moment as his heart lept at his daughter's words. She was definitely awake this time. She knew exactly what she had said but not the level of joy it brought to Hank to hear it come from her, willingly.

"Love ya too, Emma, now get to sleep. I'll see ya in the morning." She nodded with her sleepy smile, turned over and Hank shut her door softly, leaving her to dream.


	12. Chapter 12

The father and daughter sat upon the bank of the river, poles in hand and a basket of freshly caught fish. The two had been there a majority of the day since the early morning when Hank made good on his promise to teach her to fish. Emma was more then a little surprised to see her father all set to go when she came inside from almost completing her chores.

"What's all this?" she had asked. The saloon owner just laughed.

"Well this is a pole and a basket and a can for you to put worms in."

"Yeah but why do you have them and why do you want me to put worms in that can?" Hank handed her a pole and the basket with the can inside. He ushered her outside and motioned for her to follow him.

"How else are we gonna caught fish? I do have a lot to teach you about fishing, girl," he joked. Emma confusion quickly turned into excitement.

"We're going fishing! You're really going to teach me how!?" she squealed happily. Hank could help but smile at his daughter.

"Of course I am, told you I would didn't I?"

"Yes, sir," she giggled.

"Come on, Em. You have to dig up our bait." Emma, as requested, picked up her pace to match her father.

However, that was early in the morning. It had all too quickly came time for the father/daughter pair to go back home, to the saloon.

"Alright, Emma, time to get back. We have fish to fry," Hank said gathering most of the supplies and waiting for his daughter.

"Awh, do we have to go right now? Couldn't we stay a little bit longer?" she asked with all of her innocent charm. As much as Hank wanted to give in to his girl's demands, it was getting late especially for an eight year old girl. It was well past meal time for both of them. She really needed to eat according to Hank.

"I don't think so," he answered. The little girl sighed and flopped her upper body down on the ground where she had been sitting.

"Please?" She pleaded with a hint of a whine. Hank raised his eyebrow.

"Young lady," he began and she instantly knew she shouldn't have pressed her luck. "I know you aren't tryin' to throw a fit on me. You heard what I said."

"Ok," she sighed and got up, gathering their supplies while Hank carried their catches.

"It's alright, darlin'," he said giving her a side hug. "We'll go fishin' again. I promise." That sentence did its job as the girls face lit up in delightment again.

"When can we go again?"

"Sometime soon, I guess. You are a natural. I'm proud of you." Emma stopped dead in her tracks at his statement and dropped her pole and can of worms which spilled out. Her mouth dropped open and Hank who walked a couple steps ahead not knowing she had stopped turned around.

"What? Emma, what is it? You alright?" he asked with worry. She took a minute before nodding her head but out of nowhere started to cry. Hank dropped all of his supplies as he scooped her up and checked her for injuries or any reason for her tears. Finding none, he just hugged her.

"Tell me what's wrong honey," he pleaded. "Talk to me, baby."

"Y-you're p-proud of m-me?" she questioned through her soft sobs.

"Of course I am." Realizing that she must never had heard it from her mother, Kara, Hank held his daughter tighter. "I love you."

"I-I love you too, daddy," she said, snuggling into his shoulder. With his daughter still tucked in his arm, Hank gathered the bucket of fish, two poles and just forgot about the can of worms as he headed home.

* * *

After a short nap in her room, Emma awoke feeling the best she had in her life. Her daddy was proud of her and loved her. She finally felt comfortable and content.

She made her way downstairs to find her father at a table playing cards. She saw he had a poor hand but he had his poker face. She made her way around the table and saw he would lose. She came back to her father's side and exclaimed how she thought it was so cool how he had all the same shape number cards, playing dumb since she already knew how to play. The other men became nervous about their hands and folded, leaving Hank the winner.

Although shocked by her clever help, Hank gave her a kiss on the cheek and ruffled her hair.

"Can I go outside and play?" she asked continuing her innocent daughter routine.

"Sure, be back in here before dark, ya hear?" Hank demanded with his stern father persona but just before she left after mouthing, 'love you daddy', he gave her a wink that said he loved her too. His good mood made her happy as she started petting her horse, Savior.

She had everything she had wanted and to make it better, the sun was out which heightened her great mood.

The sunlight that she loved so much was suddenly blocked from hitting her. She looked up at the drunken looking men.

"Hello there," the first man said. "What are you doing?" Emma didn't speak, just shrugged her shoulders and continued to pet her horse. She soon got a bad feeling from the men so she led her horse over to get some water. They followed.

"You like horses, girl?" the second man asked. Emma didn't answer.

"Maybe we should take her for a ride," the first man said slyly to the second. Emma's palms started to sweat.

"Yeah, wanna go for a real ride?" the second man asked. Emma shook her head.

"Sure you do. Your pa said you loved to ride. He told us to take you," the first said and picked her up, carrying her away from the saloon. Emma was panicking. Did her father really say these men could take her? She didn't think Hank would let them. She never told him she loved to ride! They were kidnapping her.

"No, I don't want to go! Let me go!" she cried. Her horse reared up and whinnied in alarm.

"Shut up, you don't want your pa to get mad at ya, do ya?" the second man ordered as they backed away from the disturbed animal. She started to kick and make a real fuss.

"No! Please, help me! Someone please help me!" She started to cry. People were beginning to notice the girl's distress. A woman who worked in the saloon realized who they were carrying off and ran inside.

"Hank! Hank!" she yelled. The saloon owner looked over at her.

"What? What's going on?" he asked the whore.

"Two men just took off with Emma! They have Emma, Hank!" He was out of the saloon in a second. The roads were full of frantic people but there was no sign of the men or the girl.

His daughter was gone.


	13. Chapter 13

The next few years drug on for both father and daughter, one doing nothing but searching and the other hoping for her rescuer. Neither accomplished their goal...

7 years later

Back to his drunken, rage filled ways, Hank Lawson ran his saloon. He barely slept at night for all he dreamt about was his lost daughter and the only way to even get to that point was to drink. So, most nights, he drank until he blacked out, to save himself the pain of having to relive the last time he had seen her. How could he have lost her? He had done everything he could to find her but she was still gone... He honestly wondered if he even deserved to be here when his little girl wasn't.

Many of his girls ran off after he began drinking more, afraid he would hurt them. He hadn't though; he put all his energy into drinking and searching each town he could for Emma. Finally, he had to face the fact that she was definitely not coming back... After that defeating realization, he had to find something else to throw his time away doing. He left Colorado Springs once a month to seek out new girls to pleasure the patrons of his saloon. He couldn't seem to charm the lady's as he once could before the drinking and anger got to him. He came back empty handed each time until one day...

Gruffly, Hank scowered the streets for another girl to take back with him and one just fell into his lap...literally. The small blonde had come out of nowhere on her wild horse. It must had gotten spooked for it slung her off before running out of sight. The girl soared for a second before colliding with the saloon owner. She quickly realized what happened and straightened up, facing the man that broke her fall. She starred at the broken man who she recognized but he didn't recognize her. Drinking for so long had messed with him bad especially his memory. All he remembered was her seven year old face. The years had changed them both so much but Emma would never forget the face of her father, her daddy...


End file.
